1. Field of the Invention
The subject invention relates to gas meters utilized to meter the gas supplied to gas powered utilities and, more particularly, to a method of providing uninterrupted gas service to the gas utilities of a residential or commercial building while the corresponding gas meter is serviced or replaced.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Gas meters are installed in utility gas lines leading to the gas tubing which serve to distribute gas to various utilities employed in a residential or commercial establishment. Such gas meters must be, from time to time, repaired or replaced. Government regulations dictate that such gas meters be changed out periodically, regardless of their performance. The typical service life dictated for such meter change outs typically ranges from ten to fifteen years.
These gas meter change-outs have posed a longstanding problem for gas companies in that such change-outs require the gas meter to be disconnected from the gas service line leading to, for example, the appliances in a residence. This disconnection results in temporary interruption of the gas flow to the corresponding residence causing the pilot lights in those gas appliances relying on such gas for igniting the main burner to be extinguished. Normal procedure then requires a skilled gas company employee to, after repair or replacement of the meter is completed, gain entrance to the residence, check for gas leaks, and manually relight all of the pilot lights. There is therefore a need to provide a continuous gas supply to, for instance, residential appliances while the gas meter is disconnected from the gas service line and serviced.
A number of methods have been proposed in attempt to provide uninterrupted flow of gas to residential appliances while the corresponding gas meter is being serviced. However, the prior art methods all suffer some disadvantage. One such method, described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,148,690, commonly referred to as the Grunsky method, employs a plastic bag to be fitted over a tee connecting the meter to the gas service line conducting gas to the utilities of the residence. A plug in the uncoupled end of the tee must be removed, and an external cylinder manipulated through the bag to be coupled with the exposed port of the tee in order to allow for the communication of gas from an external gas source to the gas service line. This method has proven to be time-consuming, painstaking, and expensive.
Another proposed method involves accessing the uncoupled end of a tee and manually driving a seal through the tee to seat against the end of the tee coupled to the gas meter thereby sealing off the gas meter, while providing auxiliary gas from an external gas source to be communicated through the uncoupled end of the tee. This method is time consuming and allows for momentary gas escape when the uncoupled end of the tee is initially unplugged thus resulting in a temporary lapse in gas supply to the appliances, an event which will serve to extinguish the associated pilot lights.
Yet another prior method is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,178,188, in which a sleeve having a side port formed thereon is placed vertically in-line with the gas service line on the customer's side of the gas meter. Disposed within the sleeve adjacent the lower end is a ball check valve housing a floating ball. Thus, when gas is flowing into the lower end of the sleeve, the ball is repelled from a lower seat and gas will flow around the ball and downstream to the appliances in the corresponding residence. An external source may be connected to the side port to inject gas into the sleeve and the gas meter supply shut off allowing the ball to, under the influence of gravity, fall downward and seal the lower seat to block flow to the gas meter while opening communication from the external source to the appliances so the gas meter may be disconnected from the gas service line. This method has several limitations, however. In the first place, the sleeve must be situated in a vertical orientation in order to function properly, due to the fact that it requires gravity in order to direct the ball, when falling under the influence of gravity, onto the lower seat. Secondly, the ball is driven into repeated contact with the walls of the ball check valve which, over time, will cause wear and alter its shape to thus detract from its effectiveness in sealing the lower seat. Such wear and consequent deformation will require replacement of either the ball or of the entire sleeve thus requiring gas flow to be interrupted, which is the exact problem such a device is implemented to alleviate. Also, the sleeve incorporates a separate mechanism to block gas flow which enters the lower end from flowing radially out of the side port. This device incorporates an external plug to seal against flow out the side port. This method thus employs a device presenting the added risk attendant the fact that this plug is typically accessible externally by unauthorized individuals to access the gas to be stolen from gas service lines.
As such, it may be appreciated that there continues to be a need for a method which allows for the disconnection of the gas meter from the gas service line leading to the corresponding residence without interrupting the gas flow to the residence, and which furthermore is efficient and simple to practice. The instant invention addresses such needs.